I Love You... Mama
by Hikari Takaishi
Summary: Christmas is here... Yup. Ms. Takaishi starts thinking about her son and how rapidly he seems to be slipping away... In this story you'll find: Brotherly Jokes eh-love, Taichi singing, Daisuke doing the can-can, and! Takeru wif' a voice change. ^_^; Read


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I Love you… Mama

The heavenly aroma of pine swept through the open door of the Takaishi residence. At first, the sight into the hall was empty, but then a familiar blonde came into view, lugging the trunk of a pine tree. He took another step backward to turn into the apartment, but instead, the person on the other end kept walking. This caused the blonde to stumble back a couple steps.

"Whoa!" He laughed a little bit. "C'mon, Yamato, give me a break already."

"It was you," Yamato's voice said from around the corner, "who said, 'Oh, I'll carry the trunk and walk backwards into this mess.'"

"No, I didn't say that."

"You did so."

"I did not!" Takeru said, his voice cracking because of his apparent voice change.

A young-looking woman walked near the door with a plate of cookies. "To think," she smiled sarcastically, "I thought you two were fully grown up."

"Not with Sir Squeaks-a-lot here." Yamato joked.

Takeru laughed at himself and made his way through the door. "You went through this too, y'know." His voice shifted to a low tone, but bounced into a high pitch when he reached the 'y'know' part. Yamato chuckled as they put the kind of small, but kind of large, in other words just perfect, Christmas Tree in it's assigned spot. Takeru shook his head to rid the snow.

"Ah, ah, ah!" His mother warned, but it was too late. Snow had already fallen onto the rug.

He smiled crookedly, just like his brother, and apologized. "Gee, I'm sorry, Mom." Again, his voice inched its way into an embarrassing squeak. He reached for a cookie, but his mother pulled back the plate.

"Takeru…" she said in a warning tone.

"Mom…" he said in a pouting tone. He shrugged his shoulders and added the beneficial pouting lip. Ms. Takaishi sighed and held it out again. Takeru reached and lifted two cookies into his hand. Automatically, he tossed one to Yamato, and he caught it.

"One of these days," she shook her head. The mother made her way into the kitchen and set the plate of cookies down. She looked back at her actual son, talking with her used-to-be son and sighed. 

_He looks so much like Yamato._ She thought to herself._ Soon, it'll be uncanny. Their music talents both come from their father. And their sense of life style seemingly came from me. They're spending so much time with each other. It's as if they are beginning a new life without I or… him. Takeru is getting to that point where he can't turn to me for help. And I'll begin to feel helpless. Yamato -is- here for him. In fact, they spend most of their time with each other nowadays. I wonder if I'll keep thinking about this over and over. Takeru is growing up. He's becoming a man right behind Yamato. I remember when Yamato taught him to use gel. He's simply fascinated with it now. It must be a brother-to-brother thing. I never fully understood why Takeru suddenly changed his ways. He's still that sweet, caring, innocent child that I care so deeply for. But if he keeps growing onto Yamato and away from me…_

"Hey, I gotta go, Squirt." Yamato pointed to the clock.

Takeru and his half-brother walked to the door, mumbling things every so often. After she heard the door shut, Ms. Takaishi made her way back into the living room and looked at the glorious tree they had brought home. A slight smile appeared on her face when she remembered when she and Takeru would lie down and look up into the tree when every decoration was on. It looked so beautiful from a whole new point of view. They always had the tradition of doing that. This year, she feared, was going to be different. Instead of their quiet celebration, they were to have their friends, and family, over. 

She sat down in front of the tree and ran her fingertips along its prickly sides. Takeru sat down beside her and leaned back with his arms keeping him up.

"You know," she said gently, "when you were little, you used to think that when the needles fell, the tree was going to fall. One Christmas, you and your brother tried to glue each and every needle back onto the tree. It was a complete mess."

He smirked, again displaying the fact that he looks like Yamato; "Did you get mad at us?"

"Your father did," replied his mom with a smile, "but you and Yamato double teamed on the pouting gig. Yamato's jaw quivered and your eyes got big and glossy. His heart practically melted because of that."

"It's what we do best," he joked, his voice skipping up a notch.

Ms. Takaishi giggled. "Takeru," she sighed, "sometimes I wish you wouldn't grow up."

*--------- Two days later, also two days before Christmas. --------*

"Mom," Takeru called out from behind the Christmas Tree, "try it -squeak- now!"

The woman struggled to get the simple plug in the socket. In a moment, the tree lighted up with an almost heavenly glow. But, it died out in the same second.

"Takeru," his mother started to whine, "why isn't this working?"

Takeru slid out from behind the tree and knelt down beside his mom. His fingers fumbled with the wires and then re-plugged it. The tree lit up again and it stayed that way. 

"There." He said, making a triumphant grin.

"Humph," his mother stood up, "you make it look easy."

"Well it is," Takeru remarked.

"Still your tongue." She laughed. 

Takeru tapped a button on a small box that was hooked with the lights. The colored bulbs blinked in a pattern and it reflected off the little ornaments that were scattered on the tree. Tinsel was sprawled out almost professionally; the only thing plain was the top, where they would put their Christmas Angel on Christmas Eve. 

Ms. Takaishi started to think of her son again._ He's so skilled in his doings. Basketball, arts, music, now even Christmas. I always used to figure these things out. Now he makes it look so horribly simple. I don't want him to grow up. I don't care if I'm selfish… He's -my- son, he's -my- little boy. But he's not so little anymore… _

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Before she could say anything, Takeru jumped up and dashed to the door. When he opened it, Hikari and Sora stood there with their hands in their pockets.

"Hey, Hikari, Sora." He nodded to them.

"Wow, what a great tree," Sora complimented.

"Thanks," he squeaked. The girls giggled and he turned a slight shade of red.

"Um, Daisuke, Taichi, Yamato, Sora, and myself are going to the movies," Hikari said, the toe of her right boot scuffing the floor beneath her. "Would you like to come with us?"

Takeru turned to his mom with a look asking, "Could I please go, Mama?" She remembered when he begged her to let him go to the park with Yamato and his dad. He said those words "Could I please go, Mama? Please?" but she refused to let him go. He said that he didn't want to talk to her on Christmas. Even though he did, she still felt hurt. Now he only called her mom. Or mother when he was angry.

"Mom?" he spoke. Her thoughts were again intercepted. 

"If you want to," she answered.

"Thanks, Mom." He said with a peep and a grin. He rushed to get his coat and shoes on then joined his friends at the door. Waving quickly, the boy then left.

Ms. Takaishi bit into a cookie. _His friends are stealing him away from me at times._ She thought sourly._ We were going to make his favorite kind of cookies… I guess he's getting a little too old for that. But he enjoyed it so much. _She tossed the sweet onto the counter and walked into the room with the tree. The majority of that beautiful thing was done by Takeru. There wasn't a need for her to lift him up to add the last touch of tinsel or ornament. He was tall enough. That's what startled the woman the most. Here she was, a young lady with dreams and hopes for her son, and he's drifting away from her. 

She knelt by a fallen candy cane and picked it up between her fingers. Her eyes looked for a spot to place this delight and she found one, right beside Takeru's picture. She set the cane on the branch and it lowered a little because of the weight. The picture shook a little and she flipped it around to read the back. In his well-written hand-writing, he had posted the message saying, "Dear Mom, you said this picture was one of my better ones. You said I looked like an angel. (We both know that's a joke.) With love, your son". Tears filled her eyes. It was a simple message, and she had plenty of pictures. But he had never given her one with a message on the back with such meaning. Simple messages can mean the world to her. She then turned it back around and walked away.

------ Christmas Eve ------ 

Takeru sat in front of the window. Even though he was growing at a rapid pace, he still loved to do one thing… watch the snow tumble to the ground. It was something he and his mom did when they needed to. She would hold him on her lap and he'd press his forehead against the cold glass and breathe on it to fog it up. Then he'd swipe it away with his tiny hands only to do it again. Now, he kept his chin on the palm of his hand with his elbow resting on the windowpane. 

_He grows up too fast._ She decided._ Just too… too fast._

Takeru sighed, getting bored of their little tradition and walked to the stereo. She looked up at him from inside the kitchen. They were planning to have company arrive sometime soon. It was mainly Takeru's party with his mom being the hostess. She didn't mind, their parents were to come, so the kids would have their own fun, and the grown-ups would have theirs. Takeru's fingers ran quickly through his hair to perfect it. Then he searched through any amount of CDs that he had beside the CD player. He finally found a CD that satisfied him and put it in.

"Please--" Ms. Takaishi started.

"It's classical." He replied, knowing what she was about to say.

"Thanks, Takeru," she smiled.

"No problem." Takeru squeaked and laughed.

Somebody came rapping on the door. Like always, Takeru dashed to the door and opened it. Yamato and his father stood, presents in hand. Takeru invited them in and Mr. Ishida playfully ruffled his hair with his large hand. 

"Watch the hair," Takeru warned with a squeak.

"I don't know…" he started, "It's hard to believe a half-pint with the serious case of squeaks."

They laughed, everyone but Takeru that is. "As I recall," Takeru shot back, "I'm nearly taller than Yamato."

"He's got a point, Dad," admitted the kid Ishida. A familiar brown-haired boy showed up in front of the empty door. Then a familiar brown-haired girl--It was the Yagami family.

"Hey, Taichi." Yamato greeted.

"Hey." He replied. They exchanged a simple handshake ending with their fists contacting the other boy's shoulder.

"Sheesh…" Hikari giggled.

"Hey, Hi-squeak-kari." Takeru brought his hand behind his head to scratch his neck. She giggled again. Soon after, the group started to grow, first Miyako came, then Daisuke, and Mimi, and Koushiro… By the time the clock showed eight, everyone was there. The music changed from classical to the latest band, to Christmas carols, back to classical. The kids all shared stories with each other in the living room with the tree shining celestially. Each of their parents (or grandparents, for Iori's grandfather came) were sharing their own stories amongst themselves in the kitchen. 

"And that's when he fell, face first, into the snow." Mr. Yagami said, sipping his drink in between sentences. "He said that he'd never play that game again."

"But," Mrs. Yagami smiled, "the very next snowfall, he did it again."

The erupted with laughter. 

"An' then!" Taichi exclaimed jumping onto a chair to show what happened. "I jumped off the roof of the house to land in the pile of snow." He jumped of the chair, "in slow motion". "I then spun for some reason and fell SMACK!" He stomped his foot on the ground and added, "On my face."

The kids laughed their hearts out. 

"I remember that he promised never to do that again." Yamato said, he was a witness of the happenings.

"But the next time it snowed," Hikari added, "he did it again."

"Yamato's singing career has certainly expanded." Mr. Motomiya commented.

Mr. Ishida nodded; "It's all going to his head, too."

"On top of that hair he adores so much?" one parent joked.

"Takeru's looking more and more like Yamato every day." Miyako's father noted.

Ms. Takaishi sighed. She knew this topic would last for awhile; to everyone, it was amazing how they're so close together. 

_Please don't ask me what I think about this._ She thought to herself. _I don't want to talk about this. I don't want to realize my baby boy is growing up. I don't want to talk about this at all. _

The adults noticed the music change to Christmas songs again. 

"Jingle bells, jingle bells," Yamato slid next to Mimi with her drink and handed it to her.

"Jingle all the way," she added on, "Oh what fun,"

"It is to ride." Daisuke jumped in, "On a one horse open sleigh,"

"Oh, wait, wait," Takeru cleared his throat and delivered a perfect high-pitched "Hey!" The room laughed uncontrollably. 

Ms. Takaishi looked adoringly at her son. He was fitting in rather well, and what used to embarrass him, his voice, seemingly made him feel better. Around the room, the kids were talking and playing small games, all of which Takeru joined in at sometime. His name was called from place to place, he followed. She wanted to push everyone out the door and spend Christmas with her son, and only her son. But she knew she couldn't be selfish, nor mean…

Takeru and Yamato looked out the window to see carolers walk into the building. Both of their faces lit up at the same time.

"Mom!"

"Dad!"

"Huh?" the two turned around and looked at their kids.

"Carolers!" Takeru said, a noticeable squeak forming at the beginning of the word.

"We're gonna go for a bit." Added Yamato.

"To sing with 'em." The younger blonde finished.

"But, Takeru, your," Ms. Takaishi started.

Yamato's dad interrupted her, "Let them do as they wish."

"But-"

"Let them do what they wish."

"Thanks, Dad."

"Thanks, Mom." They both slid out the door, with some of their friends following along. 

Takeru and Yamato always joined carolers. Despite their reactions, they stayed for a few songs. Sometimes the strangers would invitingly take them in and they'd act as if they were great friends. It was their brother "thing". And now this year, they had friends. After a song or two, (or five) they walked back up to Takeru's home and burst through the door.

"Mummy, I'm home." Takeru squeaked and laughed. They, as in the kids, took their seats in the room again; the music was now playing gently.

Another hour flew by, filled with more stories and laughter, cookies, pop, eggnog, (of which Takeru despised,) and games. It never occurred to Takeru that his mother paid more attention to him than the discussions around her. He was having the greatest time with his friends. However, Ms. Takaishi wasn't. 

_Takeru,_ she sighed to herself. _Look over here, like you always used to. You used to be so cautious, wanting me to say that it was okay to have fun. Your little jaw used to shake tremendously when you saw me watching you._ She giggled silently._ You always thought that you were doing something wrong. I wish I could bring that back. Your cautiousness that is. What happened to my little Takeru? …He grew up, that's what._

By now, Takeru, Yamato, Taichi, and Daisuke were doing the Christmas Can-Can. (They themselves naturally thought it up.) The boys were singing, half of them were singing off key, (could you guess who it was?) and they were jumping all around to make a fool of themselves. It worked; the girls were laughing their heads off as well as the other boys. Taichi pulled Koushiro to stand up, he starting to grab on frantically to his chair yelling out that he doesn't want to do the Christmas Can-Can. Jyou refused to go up as well, as did everyone else. So they stopped. Good timing too, their parents started to walk out, ready to tell them it was dinner.

Everyone fetched their meal in a jiffy, then placed themselves inside the living room around the tree. Takeru was sitting beside his used-to-be father and talking to him. When his mother walked in, he hopped out of his seat, nearly spilling his drink and food.

"Here you go, Mom," he said casually, pointing to the seat next to Mr. Ishida. He walked to the window, where Yamato was, and sat down. They slid their hands against each other's, closed them into fists, and lightly hit each other on the knuckles. Chuckles came from both of the brothers.

Through out the dinner, the families talked about the past Christmases and holidays, the growing up of their kids, and very humorous stories. Even though the time was getting near midnight, they kept talking and talking, laughing and laughing, and the smiles rarely ever left their faces. Eventually, Iori fell asleep in his mother's arms; he had had enough excitement for one Christmas.

"Mom," Takeru said.

__

She looked up.

"Christmas Angel." He said simply.

_Oh, my!_ She smiled brightly._ He remembered…_

"Right." She replied and went to get it out from the closet.

Every year, the Takaishis would put the Christmas Angel on the top of the tree right before Christmas Day. Ms. Takaishi stood on a short stool, while Takeru lifted himself onto his toes.

"Looks like yer son's beatin' you to the race of height." Mr. Ishida remarked.

"Oh," she glared, "hush up, you."

"Silent night…" Takeru sang, keeping his tone still.

"Holy night." Yamato smiled at his little brother and his mom placing the angel on the tree. "All is calm, all is bright…"

"Round yon virgin," everyone picked up in the quiet singing. 

"Mother and child…"

"Holy infant, so tender and mild…"

Takeru straightened the angel out and knelt down to hook the lights together.

"Sleep in heavenly peace…"

With a flick of the wrist, the angel's light shone out with its own pride and glory.

"Sleep in heavenly peace…"

Takeru smirked and turned towards everyone, "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." They all echoed with joy.

"Come now, Iori," his mother urged him, "we must go now. Maybe Santa Claus brought you something." (Okay, I know it's kind of un-Iori, but he's a kid. ^_^; )

"We should be getting home, too," Mrs. Motomiya eyed Daisuke yawning.

"I'm not uh, tired?" he tried to convince her.

"Sure," she replied. "Thank you for a wonderful celebration, Ms. Takaishi."

"It was no problem," she answered, "thank Takeru for the invitations and plans."

Everyone took their turns with their exits. And then it came time for the Yagamis to leave.

"Bye, Takeru," Hikari smiled brightly and nodded towards the gift she gave him. "Don't forget to open it."

"I won't." He smirked and pointed to the one he gave to her; "Don't forget about mind either."

"I won't…" 

Taichi coughed and held out the memorable plant called mistletoe. Takeru blushed a little bit and Hikari reacted with a punch in his arm. 

Yamato jested, "C'mon, you know you want to."

"Yamato!" Hikari blushed furiously, "Parents, not good, yell, at home..!!"

Takeru ran his fingers through his hair and laughed uneasily. "Drop it, Yamato, Taichi."

"But-" They started to insist.

"Hush-a-tah, I said to drop it." Takeru squeaked.

The two were about to say something else, but instead, they walked out the door. Takeru spun the mistletoe around his finger, then held it above the girl's head. Within a moment, their lips touched, and in the next, they parted.

"Bye," she giggled and dashed down the hallway to catch up with her brother.

"Bye," he said with a grin. 

_Hikari…_ Ms. Takaishi thought._ She's going to be the one who steals my son away… Thief, what a young and careless thief. _

"Bye, Yamato!" Takeru yelled down the hallway, his voice cracking at the last moment.

"See ya, Sir Squeaks-a-lot." Yamato yelled back.

He then shut the door and looked to his mom. "Is something wrong?" he asked curiously.

"No," she said dryly.

Her son frowned and sat down in front of the decorated tree. All the lights were illuminating the darkened room. Takeru pushed all the presents and other junk aside and laid down, his arms behind his head and his eyes gazing up at the tree. Ms. Takaishi looked at him and smiled gently. She then took a spot right beside him. Her eyes started to water, thinking about all the thoughts that had come across her mind in the past week.

"I remember," Takeru said, his child-like voice filling the silence, "I always used to fall asleep underneath the tree, waiting for Santa."

Ms. Takaishi sighed at his voice. "Yes," she said, "and I remember you looking at yourself in the reflection of the ornaments. That was just yesterday."

He chuckled, "A guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do."

She ruffled her son's hair and laughed. "You're growing up so fast. You never call me Mama anymore. It's always 'Mom? Can I go do something with my friends, Mom?' or 'Mother! Why can't you let me go with my friends!' "

Takeru blinked, still staring up into the tree.

"I guess," she sighed, "I just don't want you to grow up. I don't want you to leave me. I don't want to realize that you'll be out of my grasp. I don't want my son to forget me, or our memories…"

The young boy searched for words in his mind, waiting for something to shine out like it always does. He yawned, obviously tired, and then he found it…

"I love you," he said with his eyes closed, "Mama." 


End file.
